The Greater Purpose of Redemption

One of the things I really appreciate about N.T. Wright is his grasp of the bigger picture, what I might term as the kingdom-cosmological perspective. Such is captured in these words:

God made humans for a purpose: not simply for themselves, not simply so that they could be in relationship with him, but so that through them, as his image-bearers, he could bring his wise, glad, fruitful order to the world. And the closing scenes of Scripture, in the book of Revelation, are not about human beings going off to heaven to be in a close and intimate relationship with God, but about heaven coming to earth. The intimate relationship with God which is indeed promised and celebrated in that great scene of the New Jerusalem issues at once in an outflowing, a further healing creativity, the river of the water of life flowing out from the city, and the tree of life springing up, with leaves that are for the healing of the nations. (Justification: God’s Plan & Paul’s Vision, p23-24, emphasis his)

This is truly the greater purpose for which God is redeeming humanity. I look forward to a day when heaven fully and finally collides with earth, bringing out a renewed earth in which we will dwell for all eternity.

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